RenCen twin tower tear-down and overhaul will create new 6-acre public park, promenades, uninterrupted access between Detroit downtown and waterfront.
Detroit’s iconic skyline, as seen from Canada, is headed for its most significant transformation in decades.
For nearly half a century, the Renaissance Center has dominated Detroit’s skyline with its cluster of towers unmistakable from Windsor’s waterfront.
That highrise landmark is headed for its most significant transformation to date.
A US$1.6-billion (C$2.2-billion) redevelopment, still in its conceptual phase, would see demolition of Towers 300 and 400, the two 39-storey attached buildings closest to the Detroit River.
In their place, developers envision a six-acre public park, new promenades and uninterrupted access between downtown and the waterfront.
“I think there are a number of things that are very exciting about, not only the vision that has been proposed, but also the ability to preserve what is a very important iconic aspect of our skyline since, obviously, the mid ’70s, when the Renaissance was originally delivered,” said Eric Larson, CEO of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, who discussed Motown’s coming new look last week as keynote speaker at a Windsor-Essex Chamber of Commerce meeting.
“But I also am very excited because it does create another visually, esthetically important addition to the skyline with the renovation and improvements that they’re proposing.”
The proposal, led by billionaire Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock Detroit, in partnership with General Motors, departs from the Renaissance Center’s original 1970s design.
Under the plan, the sprawling podium at the base of the towers would be removed entirely. The remaining buildings would be reworked into a mix of residential units, hotel space and modern offices.
“That would be another six acres of public land that would be added to what has already been a five-mile improvement of our riverfront,” said Larson.
“For Windsor and for Detroit, our greatest natural resource and natural amenity is the Detroit River, or the river that lies between us.
“For both of our riverfronts to see the level of investment, but also enhanced activity, and most importantly, truly equitable access, is very exciting.”
The 73-storey central tower, Michigan’s tallest building and currently home to the Detroit Marriott hotel, would remain.
However, hotel rooms would be reduced to about 850, with upper floors converted to apartments. One remaining 39-storey tower would be renovated for continued office use. The other would be converted into housing, including a portion designated as affordable units.
The redevelopment coincides with GM’s 2026 relocation of its headquarters to the nearby Hudson’s Detroit building on Woodward Avenue, another iconic skyscraper addition to Detroit’s skyline that came online last October.
Financing for the project would combine private investment with public support.
“Both Dan Gilbert (Rocket Mortgage founder), through his real estate arm Bedrock, and General Motors, have made significant commitments to not only the revitalization of the Renaissance Center, but an expansion of activity along the riverfront,” said Larson.
“Dan Gilbert has committed a billion dollars towards that project in order for it to move forward. And General Motors has committed $250,000.”
Although there is no formal timeline for the project, Larson said he believes developers will move swiftly.
“One thing that is really unique about the ability to renovate versus rebuild is you do have an existing shell and structure that reduces the amount of time,” said Larson.
“While it will be a number of years in development, I think the commitment from Bedrock, who would lead the project, is to move very, very efficiently, very quickly.”
From Windsor, the changes would be hard to miss.
For decades, the Renaissance Center has served as a defining visual anchor for Windsor’s riverfront parks, festivals and skyline photos.
“We’ve always said that we’ve got a million-dollar skyline,” said Gordon Orr, president and CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island and Invest Windsor Essex.
“We look over a major metropolitan city, Detroit, and we’re able to do that from our beautiful green space, Riverfront Park. That stretches five kilometers from the Ambassador Bridge right to Hiram Walker. We’re certainly used to seeing the Renaissance Center, and the fact that there will still be part of that Renaissance Center there is sort of the iconic beacon that it is.”
Orr said he believes Detroit is following Windsor’s lead by creating more public space on its riverfront.
“All you have to do is take the Windsor Premiere Boat Cruise and you can see … there’s a lot of public activity going on the Windsor side of the river and not as much on the Detroit side,” said Orr.
“So I think they’re really taking a page out of our playbook. I think that it’s really going to help Detroit become much more of a vibrant downtown.”
Orr said the proposal to enhance Detroit’s waterfront coincides with Windsor’s latest commitment to boost its own.
“City council continues to look at ways of trying to activate our spaces, and they’ve got discussions underway over what they’re going to do with the riverfront Festival Plaza,” said Orr.
“They’ve invested money into a new Peace Fountain. They just put Legacy Beacon Streetcar 351 on our waterfront. We’ve seen the success.”